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Fiona Simon: Snow -- Roads were not safe for BVSD students

Posted:
04/20/2013 01:00:00 AM MDT

To follow on the heels of other parental concerns regarding the absence of snow days with Boulder Valley School District this year, I wonder if some standard cannot be set with the school district, something like a formula that will decide for school officials when it safe and when it isn't for a child to go to school. As a parent with a child who goes to her BVSD school via bus, I worry about her safety on the roads when the weather is threatening. If 15-inches of snow cannot a snow day make, what will?

If every other school district in the area calls a snow day but BVSD, what does that say about BVSD's concern about our children's welfare? We all know our superintendent is from Montana, a very snowy state. Yet I'm sure even in Montana, snow days are called. We all know how important learning is. However, if the children never make it to school because their buses or cars go off the road, absolutely no learning will take place.

If kids get to school late and flustered because no snow day is called, that also interferes with their learning. I say "Hooray!" to the students who created the mock website showing that school had been cancelled. The official website should have displayed that as well. What legacy does Superintendent Bruce Messinger wish to leave? One of concern about the wellbeing of the children he serves, or one of a "perfect" no-snow day record? Is there any comparison?

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To add to this craziness, we have just learned that BVSD decided not to cancel the Bike to School Day that had been scheduled, when the temperature outside at the start of the school day was 16 degree! Not only do BVSD officials seem completely unconcerned about the safety of our children, they also exhibit complete lack of respect. Besides the possibility of slipping and falling while biking on frozen roads, how can kids showing up to school half frozen feel good to anyone? What's going on?

A complete lack of a reality check. Any officials who were part of the decision not to cancel Bike to School Day should have been required to bike as well. What's imposed on the goose should be imposed on the gander.

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